Stock Market & Financial Investment News

Cummins upgraded to Buy from Neutral at ISI GroupISI Group upgraded Cummins and raised estimates above consensus to reflect incremental content of new off-highway emission product and after-treatment content on Euro VI trucks, traction in its new China based heavy engine platform, new light duty engines, and heavy engines for off-highway applications. Price target raised to $161 from $140.

Cummins signs agreement with ANSYS ANSYS (ANSS) announced that Cummins (CMI) has signed a new agreement providing it with broad access to the ANSYS portfolio. This enterprise license agreement will enable Cummins to continue to solve some of the industry's most challenging multiphysics problems – providing its customers with some of the most innovative products on the market. The multi-year agreement provides Cummins with enterprise-wide licenses to the ANSYS structures, fluids and high-frequency electromagnetics suites as well as access to high-performance computing solutions. Cummins will also receive enhanced support and services as well as unlimited classroom and online training. The new agreement complements the Cummins Analysis Led Design initiative, which emphasizes simulation early in the product design process, when it is more cost-efficient to make changes.

Citigroup sees truck carrier stocks poised to outperformWith the U.S. economy growing quickly, the stocks of truck carriers are likely to outperform the S&P 500, Citigroup believes. WHAT'S NEW: Truck transportation prices and truck carrier stocks "respond most directly to economic growth," Citigroup analyst Christian Wetherbee wrote in a note to investors today. After carriers' truckload rates rose 4% last year, the rates should rise by a similar amount this year, Wetherbee predicted. Economic growth, along with the difficulties the carriers are experiencing with recruiting drivers, should be supportive of additional rate increases, the analyst stated. Wetherbee warned that the stocks of truck builders usually underperform during periods such as the current one, when a large amounts of U.S. class 8 trucks are being built. Consequently, truck carrier stocks present investors with an opportunity, while investors should be cautious on truck builders and parts suppliers, he wrote. Among truck carriers, Swift (SWFT) is particularly attractive, since it has underperformed its peers over the last year, Wetherbee stated. Additionally, the company's results appear likely to at least meet consensus estimates, the analyst predicted. He also kept a Buy rating on another truck carrier, Knight Transportation (KNX) and maintained a Buy rating on Cummins (CMI), which builds truck engines. The analyst kept a Hold rating on truck builder PACCAR (PCAR). OTHERS TO WATCH: Navistar (NAV) builds trucks and Celadon (CGI) is another truck carrier. PRICE ACTION: In early afternoon trading, Swift rose 1%, Knight Transportation gained 1.3%, Cummins added 0.7%, and PACCAR lost 0.5%.

Trucking stocks likely to outperform S&P 500, says CitigroupCitigroup says its work indicates trucking stocks respond most directly to economic growth. With the economy on a growth trajectory, Citi expects trucking stocks are likely to outperform the S&P 500. The firm reiterates Buy ratings on Swift Transportation (SWFT) and Knight Transportation (KNX), with a preference for Swift. It also has a Buy rating on Cummins (CMI) and Neutral on PACCAR (PCAR).